Rachel Szalay
Visual Artist (Katoomba, NSW)

With a degree in visual arts from The City Art Institute (Sydney) and a diploma in acting from N.I.D.A., Rachel has pursued a career in both art and theatre. Both areas tend to fuel and complement each other well.

Rachel has held numerous exhibitions throughout Sydney and the Blue Mountains and rises to the challenge of commissioned work. Pastels and oils are her specialty.

In 2001, Rachel moved to the Blue Mountains, NSW, (after living in Sydney for 16 years), to concentrate on art and prepare for a group exhibition at the Sydney Theatre Company with Max Cullen and Geoff Morrell. The end result was 12 large works which focused on her interest in Greek mythology and surrealism, through the medium of drawing (ink, pastel, charcoal, collage).

This exhibition led to another group showing called Actors as Artists (November 2001) at the North Sydney Fine Art Gallery.

Her style is eclectic and influences are many, stemming from the 16th century Flemish atist Hieronymous Bosch; Albrecht Durer; the Spanish combination of Goya, Gaudi, Picasso; the 20th century Surrealist movement and the Australian painters; Brett Whitely, Arthur Boyd, Fred Williams, James Gleeson, Fred Cress and Norman Lindsay, to name a few.

All of these influences provide the key to unlocking self expression, with the ultimate purpose of creating her own niche. It is this journey of discovery that Rachel relishs most.

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